That’s not how it works. Questions is how much more money they made by breaking this specific rules. If breaking the rules allowed to increase the profits by more then 3.5B then the fine is too small. If, for example, they made only $1B extra by breaking those rules then they effectively lost $2.5B and will stop breaking them.
Comment on EU Hits Google With $3.5 Billion Antitrust Fine
kreskin@lemmy.world 2 days ago
googles net profit is 115 billion/year. So while 3.5 is inconvenient, I imagine google feels that its just the cost of doing business in the EU.
ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 2 days ago
kreskin@lemmy.world 2 days ago
googles EMEA division is 29% of profits. So figure about 30k profits.
ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 2 days ago
Yes but if they stop breaking the rules those profit will not fall to $0.
A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 2 days ago
Holy crap. I thought you must have that wrong, probably meant revenue, but no, it really is Alphabet’s net profit according to DDG.
This in itself is enough reason that this company must die. Not that the EU will ever achieve that.
kameecoding@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Sure you can be cynical about it, but you could also read beyond the headline
End self-preferencing practices — meaning it cannot give undue advantage to its own services.
Address conflicts of interest within its advertising supply chain.
Ensure fair competition by opening its ecosystem more effectively to rivals.
localhorst@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Oh no, how will they ever be able to afford the 4 bn fine if they don’t comply
whyNotSquirrel@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
wouldn’t they need to pay until it’s done? Looks like they found a way for them to pay a little bit of taxes
localhorst@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
I believe it when I see it
A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 2 days ago
Yet at the same time Alphabet products are being used everywhere in often critical infrastructure.
I really wish the EU would do more about their pretty promises of strengthening their own.